The present invention relates to a supporting frame for in-line wheels or for an ice-skating blade.
Conventional roller skates nowadays usually have a frame for supporting the wheels or an ice-skating blade which is substantially U-shaped in transverse cross-section; a shoe, constituted by a rigid plastic shell to which a likewise rigid cuff for containing an optional soft innerboot is usually articulated, is associated in an upward region, by means of rivets or screws, at the flat base of the frame.
These conventional solutions contrast with one of the user's requirements, which is to use roller skates as a means of transport: currently, such conventional solutions force the user to separately carry soft shoes for easy walking as replacement once he has stopped skating.
As a partial solution to this drawback, skates are known which comprise a frame with which a toe unit and a heel unit provided with fastening means are associated; a shoe, even of the type used for ordinary walking, is inserted at said toe and heel units.
However, this solution has considerable drawbacks, since the shoe is not perfectly associated with the frame and therefore relative movements of the foot and of the leg with respect to said frame are possible, to the detriment of the smoothness of the skating action.
Furthermore, during thrusting the shoe can slip out of the toe unit, with consequent severe drawbacks for the user.
Finally, it is noted that the movement of the leg during skating is not ideal, since the leg must be firmly locked to the fastening means.